Reducing Aerosol Emissions to Protect Global Water Reserves
In a recent essay published in the March/April 2016 issue of Foreign Affairs, Veerabhadran Ramanathan, David G. Victor, and Jessica Seddon have highlighted the pressing need for nations to prioritise the reduction of pollutant aerosols in their environmental policies.
The authors, in their piece titled "The Next Front on Climate Change: How to Avoid a Dimmer, Drier World", argue that the changes required to cut aerosol emissions are well known. Aerosols, not just greenhouse gases, have significant impacts on the climate, and their reduction should play a central role in national and international efforts to combat climate change.
Aerosols, such as diesel soot, black carbon, sulfates, and nitrates, can cause immediate and localized harm. They reflect or absorb sunlight, leading to worsening air pollution that affects respiratory and cardiovascular health via particulate matter, ozone, and other pollutants, particularly during events like wildfires and heat waves.
Moreover, aerosols have profound effects on the water cycle, leading to decreased rainfall and potential drought. Ramanathan's research at Scripps over the past two decades has linked the dimming effect of aerosols to suppression of rainfall. This dimming, caused by aerosols, can have a profound impact on water security and public health globally.
The essay also emphasises the benefits of reducing aerosol emissions. By limiting the transport and deposition of toxic substances like perchlorate, a harmful contaminant in drinking water associated with some aerosol types, public health can be improved worldwide. Furthermore, controlling aerosols improves air quality, which lowers respiratory illnesses and related health burdens globally.
Fast action on the policies outlined in the essay could reduce global dimming within an estimated 10-20 years. The authors recommend pushing for cleaner and more efficient technology for energy production, tightening regulations on transportation systems, and reducing or eliminating the use of dirty fuel in households.
In societies that rely heavily on agriculture, decreased rainfall due to aerosols could lead to threats to food security and increased poverty. The United Nations 2015 Paris Climate Conference resulted in a landmark accord, and countries are tasked with finding ways to cut emissions that cause climate change and prepare for inevitable changes.
The essay aims to bring this knowledge to policymakers, focusing on the reduction of pollutant aerosols. Avoiding dimming, which requires big cuts in aerosol emissions, should be a high priority for policy makers. The interconnection between aerosol emissions, air quality, and water security underscores the environmental and health importance of mitigating aerosol emissions to benefit both local communities and global water and health systems.
[1] Source for localized harms from aerosols [2] Source for benefits of reducing aerosols on air quality and public health [3] Source for complex local air quality impacts from aerosols [4] Source for perchlorate production in biomass-burning aerosol particles [5] Source for reduced perchlorate deposition in water supplies from reduced aerosol emissions
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